3 minute read

Joe Pride will unveil the first of his new brigade of youngsters when Whirling Lass makes her debut at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

Joe Pride will saddle up his first two-year-old runner of the season at Warwick Farm on Saturday when Whirling Lass makes her debut.

Renowned for his ability to rejuvenate older horses, Pride rarely has a juvenile ready to race this early in the year.

But Whirling Lass is set to be the first of several youngsters to step out for Pride in the coming weeks.

"We usually just get a few towards the end of the season and we usually win a two-year-old race or two most years but they tend to be in June or July," Pride said.

"I've got a few more going earlier this year so we're going to have a few in over the next month or two.

"It's only the ones that have shown us they're really ready for it."

Whirling Lass will line up in the Australian Turf Club Plate (1000m) from which Racing To Win's full sister Pinocchio is an early scratching.

A daughter of Spinning World, Whirling Lass is a sister to Miss Tipsy Topsy who won last year's Belmont Oaks in Perth.

She has finished third in both barrier trials and Pride has plenty of time for her.

"She's by Spinning World who's not the most likely stallion to throw a two-year-old but she's very precocious and she's a real nice filly," Pride said.

"She's a big, strong girl and she's pretty stunning.

"We just gave her a couple of quiet trials and I think she's trialled very well."

Denting Pride's optimism is the barrier draw.

Whirling Lass drew the outside in 13, although the prospect of a heavy track could offset that.

"The barrier has put a bit of a dampener on it," Pride said.

"If she'd drawn a barrier I would have thought she'd be a good first-three chance but I don't know where she'll get to in the run now."

Corey Brown has ridden Whirling Lass in her two trials and takes the race day ride.